Day Eight : Saturday 9 August
Morning:
- Children’s Story Time
- Wheelbarrow Beer Race
- Man of Iron Contest
- Grand Alderney Week Prize Draw
Wheelbarrow Beer Race – plenty of thrills and spills
The latest state-of-the-art wheelbarrows were put through the test at this year’s Wheelbarrow Beer Race. Contestants – one pushing, one the passenger – had to race up the cobbled Victoria Street balancing a tray with pints of beer, and collecting more pints of beer on the way, then race back down to be first and to and deliver as many full glasses as possible. Well, that was almost impossible and turned into a rather good soaking for some of the tray carriers.
First home were Philip Hanrahan and Martin Preston but the third pair home – Nigel Alltimes and James Crafts - were presented with the biggest trophy, having raced down Victoria Street while balancing the tray full of glasses in one hand , yet hardly spilling a drop. Now publicans all over the island are queuing up to offer them a job.
Man of Iron breaks the record
11:30 am and time to flex your muscles. A dozen or so strong contenders of all ages, including three ladies, lined up to proof their physical power and fitness. Single-handed chair-lifting, crawling on Coca Cola tins and arm-wrestling were introduced as prelude to the real test of strength – pulling a jeep and driver up Victoria Street. Guernsey Deputy John Gallop flexed every available muscle, but to little avail.
Meanwhile, ‘BP’ from the 30 Signals set a new record pulling the jeep way past the normal limit and thus added another trophy to the regiment’s collection. And, in between preparing lobster and fish for customers at her dad’s fishmongers shop, Victoria McAllister popped out to lift the odd chair, do some arm-wrestling, pull a jeep and collect the Woman of Iron award. Not just a pretty face – a woman of substance!
The Man of Iron competition was sponsored by Mitchell & Partners Estate Agents.
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Grand Alderney Week Prize Draw
The Alderney Week Team would like to thank the generous sponsors who donated great prizes for the winning tickets:
§ 2 Aurigny return flights: fly anywhere within the Aurigny Network – sponsored by Aurigny Air Services
§ 2 Blue Islands inter-island return flights sponsored by Blue Islands
§ 1 State-of-the-art Sat Nav from CICS, sponsored by CICS
§ 2 State-of-the-art mobile phones from Wave Telecom, sponsored by Wave Telecom
§ Sunday Lunch for Two at Braye Beach, sponsored by the Braye Beach Hotel
§ Friday’s famous Fish ‘n Chips Lunch for Two at the Georgian House, sponsored by the Georgian House Hotel
§ Dinner for Two at Nellie Grays Indian Restaurant, sponsored by Nellie Grays Indian Restaurant
§ Dinner for Two at the First & Last Restaurant, sponsored by the First & Last Restaurant
§ A Meal for Two at The Braye Chippy, sponsored by the Braye Chippy
§ £50 voucher to shop at Anchors, sponsored by Anchors
§ £50 voucher to shop at Reynards, sponsored by Reynards the Jewellers
§ Selection of fine glassware, plant pots and other goodies from Blanchard’s, sponsored by Blanchard’s
§ 2 elegant shopping bags from the Alderney Gift Box, sponsored by the Alderney Gift Box
All prizes were claimed by the winning ticket holders.
Afternoon:
- The fabulous Daft Raft Race at Braye Beach
- Snooker Finals
The Snooker finals were won by Mick Maurice who received the Senior Championship Trophy and Liam Guille who won the Junior Championship.
Daft Raft Races
Madcap nautical mayhem describes Alderney Week’s Daft Raft Races which were thoroughly enjoyed by around 1,000 enthusiastic onlookers at Braye Beach ,Douglas Quay and the Braye Beach Hotel.
The aim of the rafters is to complete a 200-yard horseshoe-shaped course with absolutely no penalties – in sharp contrast to the Tour de France – for trying to scupper the opposition or resorting to any other kind of skulduggery.
The first race – for dastardly children – saw a magnificently eclectic flotilla of contraptions, many reflecting the “Pure Magic” theme of the week and, as an additional navigational hazard, having to cope with sideline sabotage by the RNLI.
Winners in the Kids race were:
1st : Cutty Sark (James & Oxley )
2nd: Millfield Magic (the Atkins Family)
3rd: Red Devils (George & Friends)
The Adults Race – involving some of the same vessels but with bigger crew members –attracted a large flotilla of wacky entries. Everybody got thoroughly soaked, cheered on by a very noisy and enthusiastic audience. Emerging as wet but happy winners were:
1st: It’s Magic (Harris/Bower Family)
2nd Rings & Floaters (Deane Family)
3rd A Fridge too Far (Woodnutt & Friends)
The Survivors Race
1st A Fridge too Far (Woodnutt & ‘Friends)
2nd: Cutty Sark (James & Oxley)
3rd: Millfield Magic (Atkins Family)
Six trophies were awarded for the best rafts:
Best Themed: Bogwash Express
Most Innovative: Mississippi Magic
Best Children’s entry: Magic Raft Rabbits
Best Costumes: Black Magic
Most Original: Magic Moments
Most Magical: Funny Bunnies
And Special Merit and a 60th anniversary Alderney Week mug for
The most elegant float: Pegasus
The most humorous float: If we Float it’s Magic
Most Optimistic float: Magic of The Plumbing
Most Effort for Costumes: Golden Ticket
Best Title: A Fridge too Far
The Daft Raft Race was sponsored by the Braye Beach Hotel.
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Evening:
…… as soon as it’s dark: start of the Torchlight Procession
from the Island Hall Gardens, up the High Street and down Victoria Street, ending up at the Butes with
- the Grand Fireworks Finale and
- Live music with Ronnie and Friends, to mark the last night of Alderney Week 2008.
Alderney Week 2008 – 8 days and nights of non-stop family fun and entertainment – drew to a dazzling close with the traditional Torchlight Procession and a spectacular firework finale.
Led by the town crier, Miss Alderney, Her Maids of Honour and the Alderney Week Team closely followed by the Alderney Blowers, a half-mile long crocodile of around 3,000 people – most with flaming torches held aloft – meandered through St. Anne’s from Royal Connaught Square in paganish ritual to The Butes where the torches fuelled a 20-ft high bonfire.
A further 500 or so people swelled the happy crowd for a dazzling 10-minute firework display set to music and organised, as ever, by local impresario Ray Parkin and his friends. It was without doubt, the best fireworks display ever and sadly, it was also Ray’s swan song. Ray now hands over to Mark Maurice and his team.
Then it was time to face the music – or rather, Ronnie and Friends who entertained the crowds with popular songs and sing-alongs. His guests that night were Jamie Laband, Matthew Diebel, that amazing all-male dance group “Fuzzy Logic” and a young lady named Paris. Great atmosphere all round and those still not tired enough to go to bed, headed for the Quarry Party which ended just in time for breakfast.
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The above photographs were taken by Alderney Week Team Member Ilona Soane-Sands, States of Alderney Marketing Manager Joanna Parmentier and independent photographer Paul Coles.
You are welcome to download any of these for personal use. However, should you wish to use these for commercial or publicity purposes, you will require the prior consent of the author. Please email info@alderneyweek.net
A DVD containing over 1,600 photographs is available on request, at the cost of £6 (which includes packaging/postage). Please send your order together with a cheque payable to Alderney Week, to Alderney Week Team, PO Box 138, Alderney GY9 3HF.
To find out what happened during the other days of Alderney Week, simply click on the relevant date:
Day Two: Sunday 3 August
Day Three: Monday 4 August – CAVALCADE DAY
Day Four: Tuesday 5 August
Day Five: Wednesday 6 August
Day Six: Thursday 7 August
Day Seven: Friday 8 August
Day Nine: Sunday 10 August – THE END OF ALDERNEY WEEK